Last updated: 2026-03-15

Filegroup Manager

SQL Server filegroup and database file management. Inspect filegroup layouts, drill into individual files, monitor I/O statistics, and generate ALTER DATABASE scripts from one workspace.

Getting Started

Filegroup Manager provides a consolidated view of every filegroup and database file in a SQL Server database. It is available for SQL Server connections only.

How to Open the Filegroup Manager

  1. Connect to a SQL Server database in Jam SQL Studio
  2. Click Tools > Filegroup Manager from the main menu
  3. The workspace loads all filegroups and their associated files
Filegroup Manager grid showing all filegroups with name, type, file count, total size, used space, and default flag
The Filegroup Manager grid listing all filegroups in the database.

Filegroup Grid

The main grid lists every filegroup in the current database. Each row shows:

  • Name - The filegroup name (e.g., PRIMARY, FG_Data, FG_Index)
  • Type - Rows data, filestream, or memory-optimized
  • File count - Number of files in the filegroup
  • Total size - Combined size of all files in the filegroup
  • Used space - Space currently consumed by data
  • Default - Whether this is the default filegroup for new tables

File Details

Expand any filegroup row to see the individual database files that belong to it. For each file you can view:

  • Logical name - The logical file name used in SQL Server
  • Physical path - The full OS path of the data file
  • Size - Current size of the file on disk
  • Max size - Maximum file size (or unlimited)
  • Growth - Auto-growth increment in MB or percentage

I/O Statistics

The I/O Statistics section surfaces per-file metrics from sys.dm_io_virtual_file_stats so you can identify I/O hot spots:

  • Reads - Total number of read operations against the file
  • Writes - Total number of write operations against the file
  • Bytes read - Cumulative bytes read from the file
  • Bytes written - Cumulative bytes written to the file

Log Files

A separate section below the filegroup grid shows transaction log files. Log files are not part of any filegroup, so they are listed independently with their logical name, physical path, size, max size, and growth settings.

Script Generation

Generate ALTER DATABASE statements directly from the Filegroup Manager:

  • Add File - Generate ALTER DATABASE ... ADD FILE statements with size, maxsize, and filegrowth parameters
  • Resize File - Generate ALTER DATABASE ... MODIFY FILE (SIZE ...) statements to change a file's size
  • Set Auto-Growth - Generate ALTER DATABASE ... MODIFY FILE (FILEGROWTH ...) statements to configure auto-growth

Scripts open in a new query editor tab for review before execution.

Auto-Refresh

Enable automatic refresh to monitor file sizes and I/O counters over time. Set a configurable refresh interval (in seconds) and the Filegroup Manager will periodically re-query the database, keeping the grid up to date without manual interaction.

Expanded filegroup showing file details with logical name, physical path, size, growth settings, and I/O statistics
File details and I/O statistics for an expanded filegroup.

Key Capabilities

  • Filegroup overview - See every filegroup with type, file count, size, and default status at a glance
  • File drill-down - Inspect individual files with logical name, path, size, max size, and growth settings
  • I/O statistics - Track reads, writes, and byte throughput per file via sys.dm_io_virtual_file_stats
  • Log file view - Dedicated section for transaction log files outside the filegroup hierarchy
  • Script generation - Generate ALTER DATABASE scripts to add files, resize files, and configure auto-growth
  • Auto-refresh - Configurable polling interval for continuous monitoring

Frequently asked questions

How do I view filegroup details in Jam SQL Studio?

Open Tools > Filegroup Manager from a SQL Server connection. The grid displays every filegroup with its name, type, file count, total size, used space, and whether it is the default filegroup.

Can I see I/O statistics per database file?

Yes. Expand any filegroup to see its files, then view the I/O Statistics section which shows reads, writes, bytes read, and bytes written per file using data from sys.dm_io_virtual_file_stats.

Can I generate ALTER DATABASE scripts from the Filegroup Manager?

Yes. The Script Generation feature lets you generate ALTER DATABASE ADD FILE, MODIFY FILE (resize), and MODIFY FILE (auto-growth) statements directly from the manager, ready to review and execute in a new query tab.

How can I monitor disk space usage over time?

Enable Auto-Refresh with a configurable interval. The Filegroup Manager periodically re-queries file sizes and I/O counters so you can watch space consumption and I/O trends in near-real time.

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See Also